The cure is scrubbing my eye area (external) and eyebrows with a wash that contains tea tree oil.

Is that available commercially, or only by prescription?

An infection in the middle/inner ear blows chunks, because nothing gets back there, and you have to hope oral antibiotics and decongestants will work.)

askye, that reminds me - when I had pain from fluid behind my eardrums, the doctor told me to use Afrin nasal spray decongestant as well as the oral decongestants. It helped.

The wash with tea tree oil, I found in an old-fashioned pharmacy. I've also seen it in a local health food store; the doctor told me they carry it at Trader Joe's.

How long ago did you have the cataract surgery, Toddson, and did the scar tissue come back?

Surgery was ... two and a half? three and a half? ... years ago. The "internal cataract" did not come back - doctor said it wouldn't; he's good and he was right. But the procedure was rough on me ... seemingly, it's not supposed to be that bad but it was for me.

According to the doctor, fat cells just vanish under pressure.

::goes looking for full-body pressure suit::

Eyeglasses dents behind ears, check. I still have the dent on my shin from whacking it on the edge of the stair decades ago. Apparently insulted shins don't repad themselves.

Ow, Strix. Heal fast and well.

Fingers crossed and held for you, Maria.

Deep breaths, sj. Step out onto the porch, or front steps, or open a convenient window and breathe for a few seconds, minutes. It should clear your head and help deal with the cabin fever. At least it helps me when I feel that way.

::goes looking for full-body pressure suit::

I think this was the idea behind my aunt's trick of "walking" back and forth across the floor every night on her butt to keep her ass from drooping.

My grandmother supposedly "rollered" her belly with a rolling pin every day to get rid of belly fat. Don't think I haven't considered trying it.

Years ago, my mother had a membership at a Vic Tanny (sp?) place that had big ribbed drums - you'd set the drum rotating (pretty fast) and either use a belt to hold you to the drum or just lean against it and it was supposed to vibrate the fat off.

yeah, that's about how well it worked (anticipating comments)

I remember pictures of these machines with big straps that you wrapped around your butt and vibrated!

I'm never sure if I'm remembering the actual machine-with-strap or if I'm remembering something from an old movie or TV show (very Lucy, right?). I was only about eight at the time, so my memory isn't the best. I do remember my sister and I playing on the equipment (obviously, it wasn't a heavily used place and soon went out of business ... leaving the "lifetime membership" a lot shorter than expected).

::goes looking for full-body pressure suit::

Oh, right, that could work too. I was just going to look for someone to punch me in the gut repeatedly. I like your way better.

An infection in the middle/inner ear blows chunks, because nothing gets back there, and you have to hope oral antibiotics and decongestants will work.)

Oh yes. I felt the icy grip of terror a few nights ago when Ryan got out of bed at about 11:00 and informed me tearfully "Daddy, my ear hurts." Stuffy nose, spider bite - hell, finger caught in the door, I know what to do about those. But I live in dread of him developing a middle ear infection.

(Thankfully, it wasn't. A bit of Panadol and selected readings from A Bear Called Paddington, and he was ready for bed again.)

Meanwhile, I got to visit his Year 1 classroom last night. In one of his pieces of writing, he and his best friend had both written, letter for letter, that at lunchtime they like to go outside and "play super hoers". I have chosen to interpret this as him receiving a well-rounded education, and leave it at that.